What the hell were those two doing?
by perplex777
Summary: Oneshot – "missing" scene from the end of episode 3x13 - SPOILERS - canon. Better summary within to avoid spoilers here. A  hopefully short but sweet  scene I picture happening. Plus a hug - finally! No slash I'm afraid. Merlin POV.


This scene was inspired by BBC's Merlin, Series 3, Episode 13 (The Coming of Arthur Part II). It is a "missing" scene from the end of the episode and therefore contains Spoilers. You have to ignore a tiny part of the penultimate scene where Gaius tells Merlin he is going to say something to him that no one else will. The following fits in after Elyan calls to Gwaine and confirms he's still alive, and before Merlin and Arthur talk on the steps. No Slash in this one I'm afraid – it is designed to fit in squarely with the canon as a direct response to the episode. I wrote it immediately after seeing the episode on Saturday – but as a new user had to wait 2 days before I could upload it. This is my first fan fiction ever – so criticism will be welcomed. I make no claims to owning Merlin.

**What the hell were those two doing?**

The relief was palpable as he called my name, "Merlin!"

"Arthur!"

He pulled me into a crushing embrace. "Thank God you're safe."

"Gwaine? Leon? Elyan? Percival?"

"Alive – all alive." And I saw it was true as they rounded the corner behind him with Uther. Perhaps it was the joy of our victory, or perhaps he wanted to make quite sure of the reality of me being there - once more he clasped me to him, and afterwards kept his hand on my shoulder. Lancelot rounded the corner and Arthur knew then that we had all come through.

It was only when I saw the look of surprise on his face when he saw Gaius amble into view that I realised my cheeks were starting to hurt from grinning so much – I could not smile anymore. We were free. We were alive. We had done it – together. There was something so right about our victory, with Arthur leading us – as _one of us_ – that I couldn't... the joy was... I just wanted to jump in the air and whoop. It was more exhilarating, this feeling, than flying through the air on the back of Kilgharrah. My heart was pumping, my chest glowing, my stomach turning – as they had only ever done when I kissed Freya – I was so full of love in that moment, for that moment, for Arthur, for Gwaine and Lancelot, for Gaius, for all of us, for the future I could glimpse ahead of me, of us, for Camelot...

"Gaius? What are you doing here?"

"I came to help sire."

Gaius was here, Gwen was not. There was a sudden fear in his voice as Arthur begged, "And Guinevere?"

"Back at the castle sire. Safe. Do not fear." The grip that had tightened painfully on my shoulder slackened.

Gwaine spoke next. "Well I thought we'd had it there for a while. I did not like those odds!"

Arthur turned to Lancelot then, "Yes, what happened with the warning bell? It clearly wasn't disabled!" Even I, who understands Arthur better than any man, found it impossible to read his tone. Accusing? Passively interested? Confused? It was none of these and yet all of them.

"Well, sire... We were... I must confess..." Lancelot was struggling to admit his deception to the Prince, even though we had been working to save his and all of our lives. Again I realised I couldn't smile anyone more than I already was as I rescued the deferential idiot.

"Well, _sire_. We were breaking the spell of immortality. I thought that fighting our way to the Cup of Life, spilling the blood inside, and destroying an entire army, was a bit more important than a bell," I teased.

Arthur looked at me blankly.

Lancelot coughed awkwardly. "Merlin saved us all sire."

Arthur continued to look at me blankly. I could have sworn he was so stunned that he was having to use my shoulder for support.

I could hear the smile in my voice as I laughed, "Arthur you needn't act so surprised. I'm not entirely useless you know," arching an eyebrow for effect. "Some," I dropped my voice to an arch whisper, "have even called me _wise,_" before smirking wildly once more.

His mouth had fallen open slightly. "You! _You_ saved us?" He was incredulous certainly, but also somewhat in awe – it was a nice change!

"With Lancelot and Gaius, yes." My grin truly could not spread any further.

And then he laughed. A laugh so full of wonderment and joy I had only heard it once before – when I had told him he had dealt the dragon a mortal blow that had freed Camelot, and he had gloried in the simple pleasure of being victoriously alive as he lay on the grass in the moonlight.

He pulled me into a headlock and tussled my hair. "You, Merlin, are full of surprises. Occasional bouts of wisdom and now... well... this!"

Gwaine clapped me on the shoulder. Lancelot gave a satisfied smile.

"It was nothing really!" The pleasure and pride in my voice took away a little from the modesty I was trying to convey. After all, only Lancelot knew of the advantage Excalibur had given me, and of Gaius's well-timed spell; and no one but me knew of the aid I had received from the Fisher King, Freya, and the Dragon. I really couldn't take all of the credit!

But still... there was something so glorious in this moment that I couldn't help but relish it. He caught my gaze with his arresting blue eyes and simply said, "Well done Merlin." I couldn't have smiled anymore if I tried.


End file.
